Author: Clint Confehr

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — A 23-year-old “born and raised” city resident has taken time off from school to earn money to go back to college. However, it’s because of earlier school field trips “a couple times during elementary and a couple during high school” that Kenya White learned about the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his philosophy of praceful resistance. So, White’s visited the National Civil Rights Musrum in the Lorraine Motrl at least five times, “maybe more, but I remember every bit. I know the whole tour like the back of my hand,” she said.…

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — By the end of Wednesday, MLK50 officials anticipate 10s of thousands of people in Memphis for the commemoration of Martin Luther King’s assassination. Carrying that message daily is the National Civil Rights Museum in the Lorraine Motel where King was slain by James Earl Ray, a sniper who shot ftom a bathroom across Mulberry Street. Federal laws including the voting rights acts of 1963-65 — gutted the Supreme Court a few years ago — led to the election of black mayors and lawmakers. It’s a legacy of Dr. King that’s threatened today as speakers…

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — Personal acts for others in the pursuit of social justice is the most appropriate way, today, to honor the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr., according to his personsal attorney, speech writer and political advisor. That’s “not to denegrate the event” at the National Civil Rights Museum on Wednesday, April 4, the 50th anniversary of Dr. King’s death, said Clarence B. Jones who served as Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.’s personal attorney and speech writer. “You don’t honor Martin Luther King’s legacy by coming to a particular place 50 years atter his passing,” Jones…

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — “This Little Light of Mine” exmplifies Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy. That’s according to Professor Natorshau Marlean Davis, director of the Grambling State University Concert Choir. She brought 38 students to “help commemorate this auspicious occasion.” She is proud to have brought the students to Memphis so they could meet Civil Rights workers.” The students met several of the freedom riders and the Rev. Jesse Jackson.

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — Among those carrying Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s philosophy is Mosal Morszart. The Memphis-based artist marched in the annual commemoration of the “I Am A Man” demonstration with hundreds of others. “There had to be at least 300 people” who revere Dr. King’s legacy. “It was a reenactment of the original photo by Bill Withers,” whose iconic pictures of the Civil Rights movement are on display at the Withers Collection Museum & Gallery on Beale Street, Morszart said, acknowledging Nashville’s Lower Broad Street row of honky tonks has eclipsed Beale Street.

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — Carolyn Bailey Champion’s parents ran the Lorraine Motel where Martin Luther King was assassinated, but he wasn’t the only victim of that day 50 years ago. Champion’s mother, Loree Catherine Bailey, suffered an aneurism that night and never woke up, according to the daughter who was 33 then and pregnant with her daughter, Catherine Loree Champion, now several months shy of 50. MLK50, the moniker for a series of events commemorating the 50th anniversary of King’s death, drew thousands of people to events here this week. Carolyn Bailey Champion and her husband, Dr. Charles…

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — Dr. Bernice King, daughter of America’s most revered Civil Rights leader, recognizes a continuation of her father’s work, and former U.S. Attorney Eric Holder sees her father as one of America’s “second founding fathers.” These insights came at the National Civil Rights Museum in the Lorraine Motel where the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated 50 years ago Wednesday night. Church bells started ringing here 39 times and continued from Anchorage, Alaska, to Jacksonville, Fla., and in the Vatican, Germany and India to represent each year of King’s life. His legacy is…

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — Inspired by the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Georgia man was walking 386 miles to the Lorraine Motel for the 50th anniversary of the civil rights leader’s assassination. “I’m hoping to inspire other people to join this movement of anti-poverty work … in the spirit of where Dr. King left off,” says Terence Lester, 35, of Atlanta where he leads Love Beyond Walls, a non-profit organization. His accomplishments include education and raising consciousness. A teacher used statistics on poverty during a math lesson, Lester said. More than 20,000 people follow him on…

By Clint Confehr MEMPHIS, TN — Among thousands visiting the National Civil Rights Museum at the Lorraine Motel this week was a woman who didn’t feel safe in her hometown after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Dorothy Castle, 76, was at home watching the local 6 o’ clock news that April 4th, now 50 years ago. It wasn’t the top story at first. The shooting was at 6:01 p.m., but soon, “They said he’d just got shot … “I was hurt, disgusted and readjusted,” Castle said. “I was out of it for a while. I couldn’t believe it.…

By Clint Confehr NASHVILLE, TN — The Equity Alliance — a 15-month-old, tax free, social welfare organization — is educating voters about deadlines and candidates for the May 1 city election. To that end, the Equity Alliance is reminding Davidson County residents that they’ve got to be registered with the Election Commission by April 3 if they want to vote on the transit referendum, and county jobs to be filled. A voter guide issued today includes that reminder and much more. “We’re not telling you who to vote for. We’re putting everything on the table so you can make an…